The technical services core at Kresge Hearing Research Institute consists of three service units: the electronics shop; the machine shop; and computing services. Each of these units provides essential services to the research programs of the Institute that make it possible to accomplish research goals more efficiently and inexpensively than would be possible under other arrangements. Each of the units has made it possible to develop specialized instrumentation and applications that are not commercially available, and to maintain existing lab equipment and facilities. The staff of these units have a long history of working together to assist the investigators of the Institute in accomplishing their research goals. Because of their familiarity with auditory research, the staff members are able to proceed from the conceptual description of what is required, through the fabrication and implementation stages of product creation without the need for detailed engineering specifications such as might be required to obtain custom designed products from outside suppliers. The on-site facilities have proven to be extremely valuable in allowing interactions between core staff and investigators to make modifications to devices and applications to optimize them for the research application.